Why Me?
by Katariina Sofia
Summary: Damon leaves town after 'killing' Jeremy. Tara runs a boarding house in a small town not far from Mystic Falls. What happens to Tara's life when Damon's brought to her boarding house? * *Check out my Poll on my profile!* *
1. Chapter 1

** I don't own Vampire Diaries, or Damon! This is for enjoyment only. No copyright infringement intended. Read and Review. Enjoy! **

(Takes place after Damon breaks Jeremy's neck. End of ep.1 season2)

Damn ran back to the boarding house. He made his way to the study and grabbed the bottle of scotch and walked up to his room. He looked around the room before he threw the bottle at the wall. He had fucked up royally. Elena probably hated him now.

Damon sighed and walked back downstairs and grabbed the other bottle of scotch and took off out the door. He walked down the main road out of Mystic Falls. Once he reached the city limits he looked back. He shook his head and kept walking.

Sasha was out for her morning jog, at 4am, when she about tripped over something laying in the road. She stopped and turned and looked down. It wasn't a somet_hing_, it was a some_one_. She squatted next to him and dug in his pockets for an ID. She found his wallet and looked at his license, _Damon Salvatore_.

Sasha put the wallet back in his pocket and tried lifting him to his feet, but to no avail. He was too drunk, too passed out, and too heavy for her to move him on her own. She pulled her phone out her pocket and texted her brother. After ten minutes he showed up with his truck.

"Where to?" he asked as he help put Damon in the bed of the truck.

"The house," said Sasha. "I have another two miles to run. That will get me back to the house."

Her brother nodded and took off with Damon in the bed of the truck. Sasha put her earphones back in her ears and finished her jog.

Damon woke up in a very comfortable bed. He didn't want to open his eyes for fear it was a dream. He listened carefully, but didn't hear anything. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around. The room was bare except for the bed, a dresser, and a desk. He looked down at the bed he was laying on. The sheets were a gender-neutral beige.

Damon finally stood up, but sat down immediately he. He had never suffered from a hangover before. His hand went to his forehead immediately.

"You hit your head when you passed out," said a blonde woman walking in the room.

"Where am I?" asked Damon.

"Depends. Where did you want to be?" asked the woman.

"Anywhere than where I was," said Damon.

"Then you aren't where you were," she said smiling. "I guessed you size in clothes. The shower is across the hall if you want one. And it is almost two in the afternoon."

She walked out of the room and down the hall to her own room. Damon tossed the clothes on the bed and laid back down, closing his eyes.

He finally stood up and walked across the hall to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and locked it and pulled off his shirt. He reached into the shower and turned the water on to a moderate heat before he stripped completely and got in.

"Well?" asked Sasha.

"Well what?" asked the blonde. "I can't do much with a vampire."

"So he is one?" asked Sasha.

"No, I just think everyone is a vampire," said the blonde.

"Tara!" said Sasha.

"Look, he will probably leave after he showers," said Tara.

"You suck," said Sasha.

"No, that would be me," smirked Damon walking into the kitchen.

"I see you are feeling better," said Tara.

"No, feeling better would me still passed out," said Damon leaning against the counter.

"You wanna pass out, the alcohol is in the next room. Help yourself," said Tara. "But, before you do. You can thank Sasha for bringing you hear before someone else found you and staked you."

Damon turned around and nodded towards the brunette sitting at the table before he walked into the living room. Sasha said her goodbyes and walked out the door. Tara walked into the living room and over to the bar.

"A bar in the living room?" asked Damon drinking his scotch.

"I run a boarding house of sorts. People are here usually a day or two before they leave," said Tara grabbing a bottle of whiskey.

"Really?" asked Damon.

"Yup, they usually don't come in here so I put my bar in here," said Tara.

Tara poured her a shot of the whiskey and raised it in salute before she downed it.

"You empty a bottle please do me the courtesy of writing down on my board," said Tara pointing to a board hanging by the bar.

Damon nodded his head and she walked out of the house. Damon poured more scotch into his glass and he walked around the house. He looked at the pictures on the wall of this Tara girl and her family, supposedly, and her friends. There were pictures of her with different men that lined the staircase. He walked up to the floor that he was on before. He walked in the direction that he had heard her walk earlier. He turned the knob on the last door on that end of the hall, but it was locked.

"Hmm," said Damon.

Damon ran his hand across the top of the doorframe and found a spare key.

"Ah-ha," said Damon as he slipped the key into the door.

Once the door was unlocked he replaced the key on top of the doorframe and walked in. She had a large bed that took up most of the floor. It was covered in a dark red comforter with black and sliver pillowcases. She had a vanity in her room as well that sat just outside her personal bathroom. Across the room from her bathroom was her walk in closet. Damon walked over to it and opened it.

"Wow," said Damon.

Inside were a few pairs of jeans, about seven different pairs of shoes, and about twelve shirts. Damon closed the doors and started walking out of her room. O his way out he saw a box sitting under the corner of her bed. He set his glass down and picked it up. Inside the box was a photo album and loose pictures.

On the cover of the album was a picture of Tara and a man, presumably her boyfriend. Damon opened the album and flipped through the first few pages. As he got close to the center there were less and less pictures of her smiling and less pictures of the mystery man. The last few pages of the book were blank except for two letters addressed to Tara.

_**Tara, I know you know I love you. I wouldn't have done this if I didn't love you. I will come back for you after I found somewhere we can stay and be unnoticed. Remember I love you! – Derek.**_

The second letter was considerably shorter than the first.

Tara, I don't love and I never did. This life isn't for you. I am happy without you – Derek.

Damon looked through the pictures in the box of this 'Derek' person. He shrugged his shoulders and put the album back in the box and closed it, putting it back under her bed. He grabbed his glass and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him. He walked back down to the living room and refilled his glass before he decided to run up the cable bill.


	2. Chapter 2

Tara returned around eight that night. Damon was still on the couch watching TV and still drinking. Tara walked into the living room and glanced at the board. It was almost filled up with different alcohol names and numbers beside them.

"For a vampire, I think you have a problem," said Tara writing the list down.

"Nope, no problem," said Damon finishing his current drink.

"Right, so you wont have a problem relinquishing that glass?" asked Tara holding her hand.

"Nope, but I'm not going to," said Damon.

"Okay. Did you have fun snooping around the house?" asked Tara. "And looking through my photo box?"

Damon's head jerked up when she mentioned the box. He eyed her curiously.

"Cameras," said Tara holding up her phone and replaying the video of Damon in her room.

"Sneaky," said Damon.

"Yeah," said Tara.

"I've got a question for you. If you live here, how did I get in?" asked Damon.

"Sasha lives here too," said Tara.

Damon nodded and walked around to the bar and emptied the last alcohol bottle into his glass. Tara sighed as she marked it down on her list.

"Since you have drank me out of house and home, you get to come with me to liquor store," said Tara.

"And why is that?" asked Damon.

"How long you plan on staying here?" asked Tara.

"How ever long I like," said Damon.

"Exactly. Might as well get you your own stash of alcohol," said Tara walking towards the door. "And if you behave, I might give you a treat."

Tara smiled as she walked out the front door. Damon was by her side in an instant.

"I am older than you, your mother and father, and your grandparents," said Damon. "I am not a child who can be bribed with 'treats'."

"I figured you were older than my grandparents. They don't even drink scotch," said Tara. "And you need a sense of humor."

Tara turned and started walking down the street. Damon caught up with her, but kept a few paces behind her. After ten minutes they were in the town square and Tara was headed towards the liquor store.

"Hello, Miss Tara," said the owner.

"Hello, Mr. Tawny," said Tara.

"Back already?" asked Mr. Tawny.

"Yes, got a tenant who likes to drink," said Tara nodding towards Damon.

Mr. Tawny nodded his head in understanding and walked to the back of the store.

"You can push the buggy," said Tara rolling one over to Damon.

"Really?" asked Damon.

"Yes, really," said Tara.

As they walked up and down the aisle Tara picked up the things on her list and some of the things Damon had mentioned. Half way through the store Tara surprised Damon with a question.

"What do you prefer?" asked Tara not looking away from her list.

"In what?" asked Damon half listening.

"Blood Type," said Tara.

"Excuse me?" asked Damon.

"Which Blood Type do you prefer?" asked Tara.

"No preference," said Damon.

"Okay," said Tara. "Well that is everything on the list."

Tara walked up to the cash register and rang the bell to let Mr. Tawny know she was ready.

"You ready?" asked Mr. Tawny.

"Yeah," said Tara as she started placing the bottles on the counter.

"Hopefully this will last you a while," chuckled Mr. Tawny.

"Doubt it," said Tara. "Do you have everything else for me?"

"Yes I do. Let me go get it," he said walking in the back.

"Load those in the cart," said Tara.

"What is he getting?" asked Damon.

"Nosey," said Tara.

"Here you are," said Mr. Tawny walking around the counter with a cooler in hand.

"Thank you," said Tara laying three hundred dollars on the counter and walking out of the store with Damon behind her.

"I know that the liquor did not cost three hundred dollars and I doubt whatever is in that cooler cost enough to boost the total that high," said Damon.

"I have a deal with Mr. Tawny," said Tara. "That is none of you business."

Damon nodded his head and followed Tara back to the boarding house. Once they got back Damon loaded the alcohol into the bar while Tara walked into the kitchen. When Tara closed the refrigerator door, Damon was standing there.

"Fuck!" shouted Tara, dropping a blood bag in the process.

"If you want to," smirked Damon. "What is this?"

"You dinner," said Tara walking past him. "I don't want you snacking on me or Sasha."

"Is this your deal?" asked Damon holding up the bag. "You pay him for blood?"

"No," said Tara. "He owns a blood bank. I help fund it."

"Because of Derek?" asked Damon.

"Derek is non of your business," said Tara.

"Where is he?" asked Damon.

Tara didn't answer him. Damon came up behind her. He grabbed her arms and turned her around.

"Where is Derek?" asked Damon.

Tara was lost in Damon's eyes, "The basement of the liquor store."

"Why is he there?"

"I wanted to keep him safe," said Tara.

"Why do you really give Mr. Tawny the three hundred dollars?"

"It is the monthly debt to keep feeding Derek," said Tara.

"Why do you keep him here is he left you?" asked Damon.

"I love him. I don't want him to die," said Tara.

"Tell me the truth," said Damon.

"I am going to kill him. This was the last payment. When he is on the brink of starvation I will stake him," said Tara.

"Why?" asked Damon.

"He left me for some vampire hooker," said Tara.

"Do you know who?" asked Damon.

Tara pulled a picture out of her pocket and showed it to Damon. It was a picture of Derek and Katherine. Damon released Tara. Tara shook her head and looked at Damon.

"Don't ever use compulsion on me again," said Tara.

"Or what?" asked Damon.

"I grow vervain, Salvatore," said Tara.

"You are smart," said Damon.

"I have to be. I have had to deal with her once already," said Tara. "For some reason she took pity on me and let me live."

"She doesn't know what pity is," said Damon.

"You know her?" asked Tara.

"She was the one who ultimately turned me. She fed me her blood for weeks. I loved her," said Damon. "My father shot me and my brother forced me to complete the change by drinking human blood."

"So you hate everyone," said Tara.

"Basically," said Damon.

Tara nodded her head; "Blood is in the fridge, and you now where the alcohol is."

Damon nodded he head as he poured the contents of the bag in his hand in a glass.


	3. Chapter 3

Tara was sitting in her room looking at the box of pictures of her and Derek. She had just closed the box when her cell phone started ringing; it was Mr. Tawny.

"Tara, you need to leave now!" shouted Mr. Tawny.

"Why?" asked Tara.

"He escaped! He is coming for you!" said Mr. Tawny. "Leave now!"

Tara hung up the phone and looked at it. He put the box on the floor under her bed and walked out of her room. She walked down the hall to the stairs and was about to go down them when she heard Damon start talking.

"Who are you?" asked Damon.

"Depends. Who are you?" asked Derek.

"Damon," he said.

"Derek," he replied. "Why are you here?"

"Passing through," said Damon.

"She home?" asked Derek.

"Don't know, don't care," said Damon.

Tara slowly backed towards her room. She could hear one of them shuffle across the floor. She tried to be as quiet as she could.

"You suck at staying quiet," said Derek appearing in front of her.

Tara screamed and tried to run away.

"Where you going baby," said Derek stalking behind her. "You wanted me here. Why are you running from me!"

Tara tried to get her door open, but to no avail. Derek walked up behind her and grabbed her hands and turned around.

"DAMON! HELP ME!" shouted Tara.

"Your human can't help you!" said Derek bringing her face up to his.

"No, but I can," said Damon.

"Go away!" said Derek. "I am much stronger than you."

"Really?" asked Damon. "When were you turned?"

"Three years ago," said Derek.

"Three years as a vampire versus a hundred and forty-five," said Damon showing his fangs.

Derek let go of Tara and lunged for Damon. Damon batted him aside like a fly. Derek, undeterred, got up and did it again. This went on all the way down the hallway. Tara stood at her door watching the exchange. Damon was barely breaking a sweat against Derek.

"I am getting tired of this," said Damon.

"Then give up," said Derek.

"Before I kill you, I've got a question for you," said Damon. "Did you love Katherine?"

"I love her still and she I," said Derek.

"Fool," said Damon ripping a railing from the stairs and stabbing Derek through the heart. "Oh, did you want to do that?"

Tara shook her head no as Damon dropped Derek down the stairs. Damon walked over to Tara and opened the door for her. Tara fell in to her door as the door opened. Damon had to suppress a laugh.

"Thank you," said Tara as she regained her composure.

"Whatever," said Damon. "He was annoying."

"Thank you anyway," said Tara.

Tara closed the door behind her and walked over to her shower. She turned it on and got in and stood there. Damon walked down the stairs and over Derek's body. He walked into the living room and poured himself a drink.

_She is interesting,_ thought Damon as he took a sip of his scotch.

Tara jumped out of the shower and pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She opened her door and stuck her head out.

Speaking just above a whisper she called to Damon, "Damon, can you come here?"

Damon was sitting in the living room. He heard her clearly call for him. He contemplated not going but he heard her sigh. He finished the rest of his drink. He stood up and walked up the stairs and over to her door.

"Yes?" asked Damon.

"Come in," said Tara stepping back and opening the door wider.

Damon walked into her room half expecting her to lock the door and try to kill him. To his surprise she didn't close the door or bring out a concealed stake. He turned to look at her. She had just showered; he could smell the lavender and rose body wash on her.

"Yes?" asked Damon again.

"I wanted to thank you," said Tara.

"You've done that once already," said Damon.

"I want to offer you something," said Tara.

"Money means nothing to me," said Damon.

"Not money," said Tara.

Tara moved her hair to the side to expose her neck to Damon. Damon watched her movements closely.

"You offering me your blood?" asked Damon.

Tara nodded her head. Damon stepped closer to her. He lifted his hand and wrapped it around the back of her neck and moved her forwards to him. His eyes grew dark and the almost black veins surfaced under his eyes. He leaned over and bit into her neck. Tara let out a small cry, but stifled it.

After a couple of minutes Damon pulled back from Tara. Tara's hand instinctively flew to her neck. She could feel the two small puncture holes in her neck. Damon's fangs retracted and his eyes went back to normal.

Damon cleared his throat and brought his wrist to his mouth. He bit into his wrist and offered it to Tara. Tara shook her head.

"You would rather walk around with bite marks in your neck?" asked Damon.

"No one really pays attention to me," said Tara shrugging her shoulder.

Damon shrugged his shoulders and walked out of Tara's room. Tara sighed and walked into her bathroom and put two small band-aids on her neck. She climbed into her bed and fell asleep.

She woke late the next morning, around ten in the morning. She got out of bed and checked her neck. She still had the band-aids on her neck, so it wasn't a dream. She walked out of her room and down the hall. The door to Damon's room was opened. The room looked like it had when he was brought there. She walked down the stairs. There was no one in the living room, and Derek's body had been moved. She walked in the kitchen and saw a glass of blood sitting on the counter with a note under it.

She picked up the glass and took the note and read it.

_**Tara, I appreciate the hospitality you have shown me. Considering what happened when I left my home, I probably didn't deserve it. I also appreciate your gift to me. It was quite delicious. In return I offer you my blood. I will know if you drink it or not, so bottom's up. – Damon**_

Tara looked at the glass in her hands. She sniffed it and about gagged.

"Plug your nose and drink it, then," said Damon.

"Oh, shit!" shouted Tara dropping the glass.

"What a waist," said Damon.

"You scared the shit out of me," said Tara walking over to her sink and wetting a rag.

"I told you that I would now if you drank it," said Damon.

"I didn't think you would pop up out of nowhere," said Tara.

"Whatever," said Damon. "I give you a gift in return and you drop it."

"I wouldn't have dropped it if you hadn't scared me," said Tara.

"Whatever," said Damon.

Tara tossed the rag in her laundry room and turned around to find Damon standing right behind her. His wrist was bleeding. He pushed his wrist to her mouth. She involuntarily swallowed his blood.

"Ug," said Tara as Damon pulled his wrist away.

"Gee, and I thought you were tasty," said Damon. "Ta."

Tara looked up and Damon was gone. She shuddered and ran up the stairs and washed out her mouth and brushed her teeth four times. She sighed as she walked down the stairs and sat in her living room.


	4. Chapter 4

"Tara? You home?" asked Sasha walking in the door.

"Yeah, living room," said Tara.

"You okay?" asked Sasha.

"Yeah," said Tara. "I've got to run to the grocery store. I will be back after a while."

"Okay," said Sasha.

Tara stood up and walked out the door, without her purse. Once the front door was closed Sasha pulled out her phone and hit a speed dial. It rang a few times before it was answered.

"Yeah?" asked the man.

"She has been with a vamp. She needs to go," said Sasha.

"Preserve the race," said the man.

"Anyway possible," said Sasha hanging up the phone.

Damon caught a ride back to the city limits of Mystic Falls. He stood looking at the town sign.

"What are you doing here?" asked Stefan.

"Looking," said Damon. "This is my home too."

"I really don't think you are welcome here anymore," said Stefan.

"It was my home long before it was theirs," said Damon walking towards the town.

Stefan sighed and ran after his brother. He grabbed Damon by the throat and slammed him against a tree. Damon retaliated by shoving Stefan across the street into another tree.

"We have eternity to squabble over her," said Damon. "And I don't want to fight right now."

"You are weak," said Stefan.

"You are an ass," said Damon.

Damon turned and ran off into the night without a glance back at his brother.

Tara was walking down the street towards the edge of town. The cemetery was there and she was going to see Derek. He had been 'killed' by a drunk driver, but obviously Tara knew better. She was fixing to turn down the dirt path to the cemetery when a car pulled up behind her.

"Tara Carter?" asked the man in the passenger's seat.

"Depends," said Tara.

"Sasha was looking for you," said the man.

"Brandon?" asked Tara squinting to look at the man's face.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about this," said Brandon.

"About what?" asked Tara.

Brandon didn't say anything. He pulled a gun into view and pointed it at Tara.

"You were with a vampire. I'm sorry," said Brandon pulling the trigger.

Tara gasped and grabbed her stomach. She dropped to the ground and her world slowly went back. The last thing she saw was the truck drive off.

Tara woke up looking at the night sky. She sat up and grabbed her head.

"What the fuck," said Tara.

She stood up and looked around her. She looked down at the road in front of her and saw where a vehicle had peeled out leaving tread marks in its wake. Tara growled, she started walking back towards town; but stopped suddenly.

"Damon. He can help me," said Tara.

Tara turned around and started walking out of the town and to the next town over hoping he was there.

"Mystic Falls, here I come," said Tara.

Damon walked into the boarding house and up to his room. He sat down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. Slowly he drifted off to sleep, ignoring Stefan and his conversation with someone on the phone.

_Probably telling Elena I'm back,_ though Damon.

Damon shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes.

Tara made it to Mystic Fall around one in the morning. She was walking through the town square when the Sheriff stopped her.

"You lost?" asked the sheriff.

"I am looking for Damon," said Tara hoping she knew who he was.

"He is over at the boarding house. You need a ride?" asked Sheriff Forbes.

"No, just an address," said Tara.

Sheriff Forbes gave her the address to the boarding house and Tara started walking that way. After a half hour walk she reached the house. She looked at all the windows not seeing any lights on. She sighed and walked up to the front door and knocked.

Stefan was sitting on the couch with Elena when he heard a knock at the front door. Elena moved so he could get up and answer the door.

"Yes?" asked Stefan, eyeing the girl in front of him.

"I am looking for Damon," said Tara.

"Damon!" shouted Stefan.

"What the hell does he want," said Damon still on his bed.

"You have a female guest," shouted Stefan.

Damon stood up and ran down the stairs to the front door. Once he reached it he realized he was looking at Tara.

"Tara?" asked Damon.

"We need to talk," said Tara.

"Come on," said Damon.

Tara followed Damon up the stairs to his bedroom. He closed the door behind him.

"What?" asked Damon.

"I was shot, yet here I am," said Tara.

"What?" asked Damon.

_Must not have heard her right,_ thought Damon.

"I was going to visit Derek's grave and a guy I know, uh, knew, drove up and shot me because I was 'with a vampire'," said Tara doing air quotations.

"This is good," smiled Damon.

"How?" shouted Tara. "How in hell is this good?"

Before Damon could answer Stefan was bursting through the door, glaring at Damon.

"Yes, _brother_?" asked Damon.

"What did you do?" asked Stefan.

"I did nothing. I helped her with a problem, she gave me a gift, I gifted her in return, and my gift just got her killed. That's all," said Damon.

"Jerk," said Tara crossing her arms.

Stefan sighed as he turned to Sara.

"I am going out on a limb here, but you turned right?" asked Stefan.

"Yeah," said Tara. "Otherwise I would still be laying on the ground in front of the cemetery road in the next town over."

"Feisty. I like it," said Damon.

"Shut up!" said Stefan and Tara.


	5. Chapter 5

"I am Stefan," he said. "I can help you. Damon will only get you killed."

"What's going on?" asked Elena walking up to the door.

When Elena looked in the room she glared at Damon. Damon smiled at her in return.

"Damon has gotten this girl killed," said Stefan.

"I did no such thing," said Damon. "Not everything is my fault."

Elena was about to say something when Tara's phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID. It was Sasha. Damon looked over at the phone.

"I wouldn't answer that. If it was someone you knew that shot you, Sasha probably knows about it," said Damon.

Tara ignored him and answered her phone.

"Hello?" said Tara.

"Tara?" said Sasha quietly.

"No, the Pope," said Tara.

"That can't be possible," said Sasha.

"And why is that?" asked Tara. "Is it because you put out a hit on me?"

"I…I…Tara…you…" stuttered Sasha.

"Spit it out!" shouted Tara.

"You were with a vampire! We couldn't…." said Sasha. "I know about Derek. I saw the bite marks. He bit you!"

"Derek!" said Tara. "Derek was dead long before I was bit. And you are a fucking idiot! You had me killed because you assumed something!"

Tara slammed her phone closed, and broke it in the process.

"Fuck!" shouted Tara sitting down on Damon's bed.

"It really isn't…" started Damon.

"This is all your fault!" shouted Tara standing up. "If you hadn't made me drink your blood I wouldn't be here!"

"Exactly! You would be dead! You should thank me!" said Damon.

"Thank you?" shouted Tara.

"Yeah. Otherwise you would be lying on the side of the road with your guts hanging out!" said Damon.

"DAMON!" shouted Elena.

Everyone turned and looked at her, including Tara.

"Just stop arguing. You realize that there is now another vampire in Mystic Falls in a town full of vampire hunters!" said Elena.

"Elena has a point," said Stefan.

"Other than that, where the hell am I supposed to stay?" asked Tara.

"You can stay here. It is a boarding house," said Damon.

"I would feel better staying in a ditch," said Tara rolling her eyes.

"He has a point," said Stefan. "There are more than enough rooms."

"Fine," said Tara. "Can I pick or you gonna assign me one?"

"You can pick," said Stefan.

"I have clothes here that you can probably wear tomorrow," said Elena walking out of the room.

Tara followed her out and started walking down the hall looking in the rooms. She finally found one and walked in and sat down on the bed. The bed was centered on the wall. To the right of it was a window, across from the bed was a dresser with a small mirror on top of it, and to the left of the bed was a floor length mirror and an armoire.

"You will want to close the curtain before you go to bed. I will remind Stefan to close the others throughout the house for tomorrow," said Elena walking in the room. "These should fit you."

"Thank you," said Tara.

Elena nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Tara fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She could hear Stefan and Damon talking down stairs, but chose to ignore them.

"Damon, you have to do something about her," said Stefan.

"Okay, I will kill her," said Damon starting to walk off.

"Damon," said Stefan.

"What? You said do something. That is something," smiled Damon.

"Forget it. I will clean up your mess," said Stefan walking away, with Elena following him.

Damon grunted and walked out the front door, slamming it in the process. Tara jumped when she heard the door slam. She stood up to close the curtains in the room when she sees Damon walking down the driveway. Tara watched him until he disappeared out of view before she closed the curtains.

Tara climbed in her bed dressed as is and turned off the light and sighed.

"He may be an ass, but he seems misunderstood," said Tara as she drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

"Morning sunshine!" shouted Damon walking into Tara's room.

"Uh," said Tara rolling away from him.

"Come on! Get up!" shouted Damon as he walked over to the window and opened the curtains.

"SHIT!" shouted Tara as she rolled off the bed into the dark. "What the hell!"

Damon started laughing.

"What?" asked Tara from the floor on the other side of the bed.

"It's like seven at night. You slept the day away," said Damon.

"Then why the hell did you say it was morning?" asked Tara sitting up to look at him.

"To see what you would do," said Damon.

"Where is Stefan?" asked Tara.

"Out, with Elena. So you are here with me!" said Damon smiling.

"Oh, joy," said Tara standing up.

"Fine, kill joy," said Damon walking out of the room.

Tara shook her head as she grabbed the clothes Elena had lent her and walked across the hall into the bathroom. Once she showered she got dressed and started running her fingers through her hair. She opened the door to have Damon staring at her.

"What?" asked Tara walking past him.

"Stefan wants me to take you shopping for clothes," said Damon.

"No," said Tara.

"That's what I said," said Damon.

"But you are still new to this and need a guide," said Stefan. "Besides, I figured you would want clothes of your own."

"I have my own clothes, at home. Which is where I am going back to," said Tara.

"No," said Stefan and Damon.

"Why not?" asked Tara.

"They know you aren't dead. You go back and they'll be waiting with stakes," said Stefan.

"You can go back home," said Damon. "In about thirty years when most everyone will be too old to chase after you or dead."

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine," said Tara.

Damon smirked at her as she rolled her eyes.

"There is another problem. Most shops are closed at night. So unless ya'll are good at B&E, I cant get clothes," said Tara.

"That is where I come in," said Elena. "My best friend is a witch. Her ancestor spelled a ring for them to wear that allows them to walk during the day. After much reasoning, she spelled one for you."

"Witch?" asked Tara slightly shocked.

"You have no problem believing in vampires, but can't believe there are witches?" asked Damon. "So sheltered."

"Shut up," said Tara.

"Fine. I won't take you shopping now!" said Damon.

"Here. This should be enough," said Stefan handing her a wad of cash.

"I have a debt card," said Tara. "I have money."

"Yes, and if you use it and someone sees you used it here, they will come here looking for you," said Stefan. "This town is already on red alert about vampires. That would only make things worse for everyone."

"Fine. I will go to another town and use it to get money," said Tara.

Stefan shook his head as he walked away.

_Too much like Damon,_ he thought.

Tara walked into her room and put her clothes away. She walked out and down the stairs. Stefan and Elena were in the living room while Damon was in the parlor; drinking. Tara walked into the parlor and over to the drinks as Damon sat down.

"You might have a problem, Damon," said Tara pouring a drink.

"And what is that?" he asked.

"You drink way too much," said Tara turning to face him.

"Have you fed?" asked Damon.

"Why does it matter?" asked Tara.

"He has a point," said Stefan. "Come with me. I will take you hunting."

"Yes, go with Saint Stefan and dine on a rabbit," chuckled Damon.

"A rabbit?" asked Tara.

"Think of it as a vegetarian vampire," said Damon. "He only eats animals."

"Um," said Tara.

"But you don't get the power you need from feeding off animals that you do from drinking from a human," said Damon. "But you know that, don't you."

Damon was right behind Tara now. He brought his hand up to her neck and ran his fingers over where the bite marks use to be. Tara shivered and moved away from Damon. Tara looked over at Stefan then back to Damon.

"But Stefan, you know that she has to feed on a human to complete the transformation," said Damon.

Stefan glared at his brother.

"So I will take her hunting," said Damon.

"No," said Stefan walking out of the parlor.

Stefan came back a minute later with a glass full of blood. He handed it to Tara who looked slightly disgusted.

"Hey, that is mine," said Damon. "Besides that's cheating."

"Human blood is human blood. No matter if it comes from a bag," said Stefan. "Drink."

Tara took the glass from him and brought it up to her mouth and swallowed.

"Ug," said Tara as she brought the glass down from her lips.

"It is an acquired taste. Give it a few days," said Stefan walking out of the room.

"You liar," said Damon walking up to Tara.

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Tara.

"You didn't drink it. If you did you would have drank the rest of it by now," said Damon taking the glass from her.

Damon took a sip from the glass and handed it back to her.

"Drink it if you want to survive to see tomorrow," said Damon walking out the front door.

Tara looked at the glass before she downed the entire thing. She sat the glass down and gagged.

"Ew," said Tara as she looked at the glass.

Tara walked up the stairs to the bathroom and rinsed her mouth out. She looked up at the mirror and frowned. Her already pale skin was paler. She couldn't sit out in the sun anymore and tan, so the next best thing would be to find a spray tanner. Tara smiled at the idea.

She walked out of the bathroom and back into her room. She grabbed the wad of cash Stefan had given her and walked down the stairs. Stefan and Elena were still in the living room. Tara slipped by them silently and out the front door. She had just gotten off the front porch when Damon pulled up in front of her with a car.

Damon was in his jet black Ferrari. He rolled down the passenger window and stared at Tara. Tara looked back at him with a glare across her face. Damon put the car in park and waited. Tara finally gave in and climbed in the car. As soon as she closed the door Damon threw the car in gear and pealed out of the driveway.

"Where are we going?" asked Tara.

"You need clothes," said Damon.

"What I need is a tan," said Tara looking at her arms.

"Really?" said Damon. "You are more worried about looking alive that having clothes?"

"What? I'm a girl," said Tara shrugging her shoulders.

Damon shook his head but turned the car around and headed in a different direction. Once they reached the highway Damon sped up to 150, weaving in and out of the cars on the road. After twenty minutes of driving Damon pulled off at an exit.

"Where are we?" asked Tara.

"Spray Tanner," said Damon pulling the car into the parking lot.

Tara jumped out of the car and practically ran over to the building. When they walked in the place was empty sans the girl behind the counter.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I need to get a spray tan," said Tara. "He wants one as well."

"Okay that will be $125," said the girl.

Tara handed her the money. Once everything was paid for they were ushered into the back spray booths. Tara went in first. She took off Elena's clothes and laid them down outside the room. The girl walked in and got everything set up.

Once Tara was down she grabbed her clothes and got dressed. The girl walked into Damon's room. Tara couldn't help but laugh; Damon was actually getting a spray tan. A few minutes later Damon stepped out of the room.

"Aw, come on. You have to let me see the tan," said Tara.

"Didn't get one," said Damon.

"Then what did you do in there?" asked Tara.

"Wined and dined on her," smiled Damon.

"You killed her?" said Tara.

"No," said Damon pulling back the curtain to reveal an unconscious woman.

Tara looked at the woman then back at Damon. She walked into the room and started to pick her up to move her.

"What you doing?" asked Damon.

"You can't leave her here," said Tara.

"Says who?" asked Damon.

"Really? Are you that heartless?" asked Tara finally getting the girl to her feet.

"Yeah, basically," smiled Damon. "You must be hungry."

"Why?" asked Tara.

Damon turned Tara so she was facing a mirror. The blackish veins she had seen on Damon's face were now showing up under her eyes. She opened her mouth to see that her fangs had also come out too. In a panic Tara dropped the girl to the floor and brought her hands up to cover her mouth.

Damon couldn't help it anymore he started laughing.

"What the hell is so funny?" asked Tara turning to face him.

"You almost killed her without trying," said Damon.

"What?" said Tara.

"If her head hit the floor first she would've died," said Damon. "You are hungry, eat."

"No," said Tara.

"You did it before," said Damon. "The only difference is this one has a face."

"You are heartless," said Tara.

Tara walked out past him and into the main lobby. She thought about waiting there but she really didn't want to deal with Damon. She walked out the front door and started walking down the strip mall. She looked in the shops at the dresses and designer jeans. She stopped in front of one store that was starting to close up and was looking at a pair of shoes in the window.

A handsome guy working the cash register looked up and saw Tara looking in the window. He nodded to someone else in the room before he walked over to the door. He unlocked the door and stuck his head out.

"You want to come in and look?" he asked.

Tara turned and looked at him. She smiled and nodded and walked in the store. She looked around at the different pairs of shoes and jeans. She was bent over looking at a shirt when she heard the door lock. That was a plus on being a vampire. She acted like she hadn't heard it and went back to looking.

"I'm Brad," he said walking up to her.

"Tara," she said turning around and smiling.

"This is David," Brad said as another man walked around the corner. "This is Tara, David."

"Hi," he said.

Tara nodded her head and played along with what they were doing. She started fidgeting and acting nervous.

"Uh, well. Thank you for letting me come in and look, but I need to get going," she said starting to walk around them.

"Oh, you don't have to leave just yet. You haven't even bought anything," said Brad.

"I will come back tomorrow," said Tara taking another step.

Just as she took her step Brad swung him arm out and grabbed her, tossing her back into the display behind her. As he walked forward David walked over to the window and closed the display curtains. Tara started wiggling and trying to get free.

'It's okay baby. You'll love it!" said Brad.

"Over your dead body," said Tara.

"You really think you can take me on," said Brad backhanding Tara.

"Dumb move," said Tara.

As Tara turned back to face them her fangs came out. Brad jumped back from her. He started to run but Tara ran up behind him and bit into his neck. David screamed and started backing away from her and into the front desk. Tara grabbed him by the neck and brought him closer to her.

"You are going to forget I was here! Understood?" asked Tara.

"Yes," said David like he was in a trance.

"Any tapes that might show what happened need to be destroyed," said Tara.

"Tapes must be destroyed," repeated David.

Tara let him go and walked towards the door. As she reached the door she could still smell Brad's blood. She turned at looked at him. She glanced at the counter and notices David was gone. She grabbed Brad and brought him to his feet, she sunk her teeth into his neck again causing him to scream. Suddenly the door burst open. Tara dropped Brad and looked; it was Damon.

Damon looked over the scene in front of him. He grabbed Tara's hand and jerked her from the building. He picked the boy up off the floor and looked at him. He mumbled something to him before he let him go and walked out of the store. He took hold of Tara's hand again and started walking back to his car.


	7. Chapter 7

Once Tara was in the car Damon got in and floored it back to Mystic Falls. Tara started wiping the blood off her face with her arm, but that wasn't doing much good. Damon pulled over on the side of the road and got out. He walked a few feet and dipped a rag in the river. He handed it Tara who ran it over her face a few times and her arm. She handed it back to Damon who tossed it in the woods. Tara looked over at Damon who was looking straight ahead.

"Damon?" asked Tara.

"What?" he said.

"Are you mad at me?" asked Tara.

"Do I look like Stefan?" asked Damon.

"No," said Tara.

"Then no, I'm not mad," said Damon. "Slightly disappointed that you did it without me."

"What?" said Tara turning to face him.

"I love a good fight," said Damon. "Should've known you would too."

"I don't get you," said Tara.

"Not many people do," said Damon.

"I get you," said a woman from behind them. "I've always got you, Damon."

"What are you doing here Katherine," said Damon not looking at her.

"I've come to see you. See how you are doing after our last encounter," she said smiling.

"Go away Katherine. Go pester my brother, you like him more," said Damon.

Katherine frowned but moved in front of him. She brought her hand up to his face and ran her fingers across his cheek, "Just because I love Stefan, doesn't mean I didn't care for you Damon."

Damon grabbed her hand and took it away from his face, "You don't know what love is. You don't know how to care for anyone but yourself. You are a heartless bitch!"

Katherine smacked Damon and took off into the night leaving Tara and Damon as they were. Tara walked over to Damon and looked at his face. He had a red handprint across his cheek. Tara started to raise her hand but Damon moved to the driver's seat before she could touch him. She walked over the passenger's seat and got in.

The ride back to the boarding house was a silent one. Damon looked out the windshield the entire time while Tara stared out her window. Once they were back at the boarding house, Tara climbed out of the car and walked back to the house. Damon followed behind her and went straight to the parlor. He poured a glass of scotch and sat down in front of the fire.

Tara walked up to her room and noticed there were more clothes laying on the bed. She grabbed a set of nightclothes and walked into the bathroom. She jumped in the shower to clean all the blood off her face.

Elena got up from the couch and said her goodbye to Stefan before she left. Once Elena pulled out of the driveway Stefan walked into the parlor.

"What do you want?" asked Damon.

"Nothing. Just wondering how the shopping went?" asked Stefan. "Must have not been very productive since she didn't have any bags."

"We were side tracked," said Damon.

"How?" asked Stefan.

"She had a mid-night snack," smiled Damon. "She decided to go window shopping by herself and she got hungry."

"You let her go off by herself. Are you out of your mind!" said Stefan. "I knew better than to let you go with her!"

Stefan turned and walked out of the parlor and up the stairs, passing Tara in the process. Tara walked into the parlor and over to where Damon was sitting. She sat down on the other end of the couch and watched him.

"What?" said Damon watching the fire.

"Why didn't you mention that girl?" asked Tara.

"She is none of your business," said Damon.

"Fine," said Tara.

Tara got up and walked back up to her room. She climbed in the bed and turned out the light.

Damon had finished off the rest of the scotch when he heard a noise upstairs. He shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of his drink when he heard Tara scream. Damon dropped the glass and ran up the stairs to her room. Damon bust through the door to see Katherine jump out of the window. He looked down at Tara's bed to see a stake in her stomach. Stefan came running in the room and see Tara. He sighs before he looks out the window.

"A…little help," said Tara.

Damon walked over to the bed and pulled the stake out of Tara's stomach. Tara gasps as the stake is pulled out. Damon tossed it out the window and sat down on the edge of the bed. Stefan turned around and stared at Damon.

"You realized she could've died," said Stefan. "Why was Katherine here anyway?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders but didn't answer.

"She showed up earlier. Before we got back. We stopped somewhere so I could clean up a little and she showed up talkin' to him," said Tara.

"You seemed to have left that out," said Stefan.

"Get over it. She is gone now. We are fine until she decides she wants to do permanent damage," said Damon.

"Again. OR did you forget about Caroline?" asked Stefan.

"Eh, okay, again," said Damon.

Stefan shook his head and walked out of the room. Damon stood up and followed his brother out of the room closing the door behind him. Tara sighed and got up and closed the window, locking it. Not like it would do much good against a vampire hell bent on doing damage.

Tara climbed back in bed and turned the light off again. She closed her eyes but she couldn't go to sleep.

Tara got up the next morning and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Neither Stefan nor Damon were in the house. She walked around the kitchen and noticed a glass sitting on the island. There was a note under it from Stefan.

_**Tara, It's blood from one of Damon's blood bags. Drink up; you have a long day a head of you. ~Stefan**_

Tara shrugged her shoulders and took the glass. She took small sips from it as she walked around the house. As she made her rounds she found herself in a small study just off the parlor. She walked around the room looking at the old books on the shelf. As she made her way around the back of the desk she saw an older book stuffed in the back. She set her glass down and pulled the book out. She sat down at the desk and opened it up.

"Wow," she said as she looked through it.

The book had different pictures of Damon and Stefan in it. It was their old family album. She looked through the earlier photos of the whole family, the ones before Stefan and the ones after Stefan. As she continued through the book, their mother abruptly stopped showing up in the pictures. She turned the page and saw a piece of paper folded over.

She pulled the paper out and looked at it. It was their mother's death certificate. Tara sighed as she put it back in the book and continued looking through it. Just like their mother's pictures, all the pictures abruptly stopped the spring of 1860. Tara furrowed her brows as she looked at the last picture of the family. Damon was in a Confederate Soldier uniform, while his brother and father were dress normal. No one was smiling; in fact no one had smiled in any of the pictures since their mother had died.

Tara closed the book and put it back on the shelf. As she turned around to grab her glass and keep going she saw Damon standing at the door, with her glass.

"Have a good read?" asked Damon drinking the last of the blood.

"I was curious," said Tara.

"Curiosity killed the cat," said Damon walking over to her.

"I'm already dead," said Tara.

Tara took the glass from Damon and walked out of the study. Damon moved in front of her, stopping her from leaving the parlor.

"Look, I'm sorry. Is that what you want to hear?" asked Tara.

"I really don't care," said Damon sidestepping her.

Tara rolled her eyes as she walked back into the kitchen. She rinsed out the glass and put it in the sink. She walked out of the kitchen and up to her room to change. Once she was changed she walked downstairs. Stefan was waiting by the door smiling.

"What's got you in a good mood?" asked Tara.

"Nothing. Now, let's get you some clothes," said Stefan.

Stefan opened the door and Tara walked through it. She stopped just short of walking off the porch. Stefan watched her as she slowly walked off the porch and into the light. She brought her hand up and wiggled her fingers. She smiled as she looked at the ring. Stefan shook his head slightly as he ushered her to his car. Once she was in the car they started off towards town.

"So why are you taking me shopping? Don't you want to spend time with Elena?" asked Tara.

"Yes, but I don't trust Damon to do something as simple as take you shopping anymore," said Stefan.

"It isn't all his fault," said Tara.

"Really?" said Stefan, glancing at her slightly.

"Yeah. I walked out of the tanning salon and down the strip mall looking at the storefronts. I walked in one of the stores and the guy who let me in figured I was easy prey to attack," said Tara shrugging her shoulder. "I guess I lost my control and started feeding on him."

"You have little control as it is," said Stefan.

"I have more control than you think. I can last through a spray tan session without munching on the technician," said Tara.

"You call that control. Was it a woman?" asked Stefan.

"Yeah. So?" said Tara.

"You obviously prefer the taste of men. It is kind of like…" started Stefan.

"No, it's not like sexuality. Because once Damon already fed on her, I wanted to, too," said Tara. "I still saw her as a person, not food. I probably wouldn't have attacked that guy if he hadn't attacked me first."

Stefan shook his head but kept his comment to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Stefan parked his car down the road from one of the shops in town. Tara got out of the car and followed him down the street. He opened the door to one of the shops and Tara walked through it. She perused the racks of clothes. She found a few shirts she like but not much of anything else. After Stefan paid for the clothes they walked out and continued down the street doing the same thing. Tara would find a few things she liked before they left to go to the next store.

After they had gone to all the shops in Mystic Falls Tara had enough clothes to complete about five outfits. Stefan put the rest of the bags in the trunk of his car. Tara was leaning up against her door when Stefan walked over.

"You okay?" asked Stefan.

"Yeah, just hungry for some reason," said Tara.

"Did you not drink the blood this morning?" asked Stefan.

"Yeah, some of it. Damon took it and drank the rest of it," said Tara.

Stefan growled. Tara looked at him. She was fixing to stay something when he opened the door for her. She got in the car and waited for him. Stefan finally got in the car. He started it and without thinking floored it back to the boarding house. He swerved through the traffic in his way. It took half the time to get back. When Stefan pulled up to the house he threw the car in park and got out. Tara got out of the car and pulled her bags out of the trunk. Stefan had disappeared into the house.

Tara had just closed the trunk when she heard glass shatter. When she looked up, Damon was flying through a window from the second story. He landed on his back on the ground on the other side of the car. Tara dropped her bags, but stayed put. She watched the window waiting for Stefan to appear, but he didn't.

She turned to look at Damon, who was now moving to his feet. Damon looked at her before he disappeared back into the house. Tara stood there and waited. She watched the house with an intense look on her face; she was listening. She couldn't hear any talking, but heard a scratching sound. It would stop and then start up again, like someone was writing something.

The scratching stopped completely after a few minutes. Tara started to walk slowly to the house, listening for any movement with every step. She reached the front door and peered inside. She made her way through the house until she reached the parlor. She poked her head inside the door and took in the room. Furniture was overturned, the bar was destroyed, bottles broken after being thrown across the room. Damon was standing in front of the fire with a bottle in his hand.

"Damon?" said Tara.

Damon turned and looked at her. Tara took a step back when she saw the glare he wore. Damon turned back to the fire and took a drink from the bottle.

"Damon, what happened?" asked Tara regaining her composure.

"Go home," said Damon.

"What?" asked Tara.

"She can't go home," said Stefan walking in the parlor.

"Fine. Go somewhere else," said Damon.

"What is going on?" asked Tara.

"Just leave. It is not you problem, so leave," said Damon.

"DAMON!" said Stefan.

"What?" said Damon turning to face Stefan. "She has nothing to do with Katherine. Katherine could care less about her. Right now at least. You know as well as I do that if she stays Katherine is going to use her somehow. And you, Stefan, have gotten attached to her; which will only make her plan work all the better! So don't get mad at me!"

"You made me, you ass!" shouted Tara. "The way I see it, I should bug the living shit out of you for eternity!"

Damon moved to where he had Tara up against the wall, with a death grip on her neck.

"You have two choices: One, leave by your own accord and live for eternity; or Two, stay and I kill you," said Damon.

Damon let go of Tara's neck and she dropped to the floor. Damon grabbed the bottle and disappeared around the corner and up the stairs. Stefan helped Tara up from the floor. She shook Stefan off and walked out of the house. She grabbed her bags that she had left in the driveway and disappeared up the stairs and into her own room.

She slammed her door closed and pulled a bag out from under her bed. She threw all the things Stefan had bought for her in the bag along with the clothes she had worn when she first arrived. She zipped up the bag and walked out of her room. She ran down the stairs and towards the door.

Stefan heard her bedroom door open. He stood at the bottom of the stairs and waited. He almost didn't see her; if he had been human he wouldn't have seen her she was going so fast. Stefan grabbed her arm as she made her way across the foyer. He turned her so she was facing him.

"What are you doing?" asked Stefan.

"None of your business," said Tara.

"Yes it is," said Stefan.

"Damon is right. So I am going to leave," said Tara jerking her arm from Stefan's grasp.

Stefan stared at her in disbelief as she disappeared through the front door. He ran to the porch but she had already disappeared down the driveway. Stefan turned around and walked back in the house, closing the door behind him. Damon was watching her figure disappear down the driveway as Stefan walked into his room.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Stefan.

"Just leaving," said Damon walking out of his brother's room.

Damon walked back to his room and closed the door. He collapsed on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was for her own good that she was gone.

Tara had made her way back into town without anyone looking at her or even noticing her. She walked across the square to The Grill. She popped inside and found her way to the payphone. She dug in her pocket and found some change. She knew the number to a hotel not far from there and was going to stay there for a while. She dialed the number and waited. Just as it started to ring the line went dead.

She saw an arm reaching out and depressing the catch on the phone. Tara eyed the woman in front of her.

"Hello," said the woman smiling.

She looked like Elena, she sounded like Elena, but there was no way in Hell that this was Elena. Tara hung the phone up and stared back at the Elena clone. The clone nodded in the direction of the door and she started to walk away. Tara followed after her. Once outside the clone had disappeared around the corner. Tara turned the corner to find her leaning up against the wall.

"Tara, I presume," said the clone.

"Then you _must_ be Katherine," said Tara.

Katherine nodded her head in the acknowledgement that Tara had the right person. She stood up to her full height, which wasn't much taller than Tara. She smiled at Tara before she spoke again.

"Might I ask why you aren't with the Salvatore's?" asked Katherine.

"You may, but I won't answer," said Tara.

Katherine eyed the woman in front of her. "Damon?"

"Excuse me?" asked Tara.

"Were you with Damon?" asked Katherine.

"No," said Tara.

"Where are you going?" asked Katherine.

"That way," said Tara pointing in a direction.

"You were calling someone, who?" asked Katherine.

"You ask a lot of questions," said Tara. "If that is all you are going to do, I am going to go."

Tara turned and started to walk away. Katherine grabbed her arm and jerked her back into the ally.

"You will leave when I am done with you," said Katherine. "Now, where are you going?"

"Away from here. Happy?" asked Tara.

"Ecstatic" said Katherine smiling. "Why don't you come stay with me."

"I will pass," said Tara.

"Too bad," said Katherine.

Katherine grabbed hold of Tara's arm harder and took off through the town.


	9. Chapter 9

Stefan was sitting on the couch with Elena when there was a knock at the front door. Stefan frowned as he stood up and walked to the door. He was surprised that no one was at the door when he opened it. He looked down at the porch and saw a letter addressed to himself and Damon. Stefan closed the door and walked back into the house, opening the letter as he did so.

_**Dearest Stefan and Damon,  
It is horrible how you just shoved a new vampire out into the cold, harsh world. Well, no need to worry about her well-being. I found her and have taken her in. She is quite comfortable here with me. Hope this finds you well,  
Katherine Pierce.**_

"DAMON!" shouted Stefan.

Elena jumped up from the couch and ran to Stefan. She saw the letter in his hand and took it from him and read over it. Damon came walking down the stairs lazily.

"Yes?" asked Damon.

"Katherine has Tara," said Stefan.

"And? It isn't my fault she was picked up by her. Probably thought the bitch was Elena," said Damon walking back up the stairs.

"Damon, how can you be so hateful? What did Tara ever do to you?" asked Elena.

"She died," said Damon.

Elena shook her head and looked back at Stefan. Stefan was still watching Damon retreat up the stairs. Elena placed her hand on Stefan's arm and brought his attention back to her.

"What are we going to do?" asked Elena.

"I have no idea," said Stefan looking at the letter again.

Tara sat in the small room looking around. It appeared that Katherine was staying in a loft apartment somewhere near the town. There was one wall that separated the main part of the loft from the bedroom area. She could hear Katherine behind it doing something. The door opened from the room and Katherine walked out, smiling.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Tara.

"Can I not be happy that I have a new friend?" asked Katherine.

"You don't make friends, you find lackeys. And I aint gonna be your lackey," said Tara.

"If you want to live to see 100 you will do whatever I say," said Katherine.

"Then kill me now, cause death would be better than spending anymore time with you," said Tara.

"That would be too easy, and you want it," said Katherine. "It isn't as bad as you think it is. You can have anything and everything you want if you stay with me."

"Again, I will pass. That would be more torture than spending time with Damon," said Tara.

"You have no idea what I am capable of," said Katherine rushing over to the chair Tara was sitting in. "Do not tempt me."

"Tempt you? How bout stake you?" asked Tara.

Tara brought her arm up as fast as she could and drove the stake into Katherine's back as hard as she could. Katherine gasped as the stake hit her heart. She eyed Tara before she fell to the ground with a thud. Tara dropped the stake to the floor and stared at the body at her feet.

She dug into her pocket and pulled out the cell phone Stephan bought for her. She found his number in the contacts and hit send. It rang twice before he answered it.

"Tara?" he said answering the phone. "Are you okay? What happened? Where is Katherine?"

"Yeah, it's me. Um, I am fine. As for Katherine," said Tara going quiet.

"What about Katherine?" asked Stefan.

"Can you come get me?" asked Tara.

"Where are you?" asked Stefan

"An apartment somewhere in town," said Tara. "I don't know where in town though."

"I am on my way," said Stefan.

Stefan hung up is phone and turned to grab his coat. Elena was right behind him. He was going to object to her coming with him, but Tara hadn't answered him about Katherine. Damon was walking down the stairs and saw them walking towards the door.

"Going on a field trip?" asked Damon.

"To get Tara," said Stefan as he opened the door.

Elena walked out on the porch and Stefan followed. They were off the porch and walking towards the door. Stefan still hadn't heard the door shut. He turned around to see Damon standing in the doorway with it in his hand. Suddenly the door slammed closed and Damon was pulling out of the driveway in his car. Elena got in Stefan's car and they followed him out of the driveway.

Tara was sitting in the chair with her feet pulled up under her chin. Her phone started to ring. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID, it was Damon. She sighed and answered it.

"What?" asked Tara.

"Keep talking," asked Damon.

"What?" asked Tara.

"Keep talking. Stefan doesn't know where you are. We are listening for you," said Damon slightly irritated.

"Doesn't it defeat the purpose if you are on the phone with me?" asked Tara.

"I am not with Stefan. I am with the cars," said Damon.

"Cars? As in more than one?" asked Tara.

"Yes," said Damon.

"Why more than one?" asked Tara.

"I drove, he drove," said Damon.

"You came to look for me?" asked Tara.

"I followed them here. I was curious," said Damon.

"Where are you?" asked Tara.

"Next to the car," said Damon, chuckling.

"No shit Sherlock. Where is the car parked?" asked Tara.

"In a parking spot," said Damon, smiling.

Even though Tara couldn't see him she could tell he was smiling. Suddenly the line went dead. She looked at her phone. Dead Battery. She walked over to the window and looked out. She saw the back end of Mystic Falls. She saw a slight blur out of the corner of her eye, but blew it off. Suddenly the door came crashing over. Tara jumped and turned around wishing she still had the stake with her.

Damon was about to say something to Tara to piss her off when the line went dead. He had a bad feeling that Katherine had found her. He snapped his phone shut and took off in the direction he was facing. Stefan had sent him a text telling him where they were. Damon found a building that had loft apartments in it and bolted through the door and the stairs. He could hear here. She was talking to her self, or someone who wasn't talking back.

He found the door she was behind and kicked it in and ran in. He saw her jump and turn to face him. She was standing at the window. He was about to walk over to her when he noticed the body on the floor.

"Katherine?" asked Damon.

Tara nodded her head. Damon bent down and looked at the body before he stood up quickly. He pulled out his phone and sent a text message to Stefan. Damon put the phone back in his pocket and stuck his hand out. Tara looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"Come on. I am taking you out for lunch," said Damon smiling.

"Why?" asked Tara.

"Because you killed the one person I've wanted dead for a long time," said Damon.

Tara took his hand hesitantly and followed him out of the apartment. They ran across town and to his car. Tara chuckled when she saw the car. Damon let go of her hand and turned to look at her.

"What?" asked Damon.

"You lied to me," said Tara.

"What?" asked Damon.

"You car is not in a parking spot. It is in a field," said Tara.

"This is a parking spot in a field," smirked Damon.

Tara shook her head and got in the sports car. Damon started the car and peeled out of the field and onto the road heading towards the interstate.


	10. Chapter 10

"What about Stefan?" asked Tara as they drove.

"I told him I found you," said Damon.

"Well?" asked Tara.

"What? He knows you are safe now," said Damon.

Tara was about to say something when Damon's phone started ringing. Damon pulled it out of his pocket and looked at it; it was Stefan.

"Yes baby brother?" said Damon answering the phone.

"Where are you?" asked Stefan.

"In the car," said Damon.

"Tara?" asked Stefan.

'She is safe," said Damon hanging up the phone.

Damon pulled off the interstate and pulled into the parking lot of a club. Tara looked over at Damon with apprehension in her eyes.

"What?" asked Damon.

"I don't think I should go in there," said Tara.

"Why not?" asked Damon.

"What if I kill one of them?" asked Tara. "I still feel bad about the other two I attacked."

"That is the point of being here," smirked Damon as he got out of the car.

Tara hesitantly climbed out of the car and followed him into the club. There were people everywhere dancing. Damon had disappeared as soon as he walked in the door. Tara made her way over to the bar and sat down.

"He there sexy," said a man walking up behind Tara. "Wanna go out for a bite?"

"Get lost," said Damon reappearing at Tara's side.

"Fuck off, man. I saw her first," said the man.

"She can kick your ass. Cant you Tara?" asked Damon as he stopped on her foot.

Tara vamped out at Damon. The dude jumped back as he took in Tara's appearance. As he stumbled backwards he slammed his hand down on the bar, on a shot glass, cutting his hand open. Tara watched him as he backed away, she could smell the blood flowing from his hand. The guy turned and ran in the opposite direction.

Tara didn't give it a second thought and ran after him, cornering him at the back of the bar. She brought his hand up to her mouth licked it.

"Delicious," said Tara as she bit into his neck.

Damon watched all off this from the bar. He walked over and tapped Tara on the shoulder. She turned to look at him. She had blood dripping down her mouth and a look of hunger and lust in her eyes. Damon bit into the other side of the guy's neck and drank from him before he dropped him to the ground.

Damon turned Tara to face him and captured her lips in a bloody kiss. Damon wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up. As Damon picked her up, Tara wrapped her arms around Damon's waist. Damon walked blindly through the hallway at the back of the club.

Damon kicked open the door to the office and closed it behind him. He sat Tara down on the desk and kissed down her neck. Tara leaned her head back to give Damon better access to her neck. Damon found the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up of her head. He unsnapped the button on her jeans and pulled them off.

Tara quickly pulled Damon's shirt off and pulled his pants off. Damon pulled her towards him and Tara could feel his arousal on her core and moaned. Tara rocked her hips slightly causing Damon to moan.

Without notice, Damon slammed into her. Causing hr to moan loudly. Tara gripped Damon's shoulders as he pumped into her.

"Oh, god…" moaned Tara.

"You can call me Damon," he smirked as he slammed into her again.

"Oh…oh…uhn….soo….good…." moaned Tara.

Damon picked up his speed and slammed into Tara harder, faster, and deeper. Tara's grip on Damon's shoulder's tightened and she started to draw blood.

"Oh, oh, oh…Da-Damon!" shouted Tara as she came.

Damon followed close behind her, collapsing on top of her. Damon leaned up and kissed Tara again. Tara smiled up at Damon as he backed away and started to get dressed. Tara found her clothes and pulled them back on and followed Damon out the back door of the club and to his car.

Damon pulled back out onto the interstate and started back towards Mystic Falls. Tara looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by. Soon they were driving down the driveway to the boarding house. Damon parked his car and turned it off. Both started walking towards the house when Stefan stepped out the front door.

"Where the hell did you go?" asked Stefan. "What did you do?"

"What? I took her out for a celebratory meal," smiled Damon.

"You let her feed on someone!" shouted Stefan.

"No, _we_ fed on someone," said Damon looking over at Tara. "It was quite, _interesting_."

"Next time, clean the evidence off her face," said Stefan pointing to Tara.

Damon looked at her face. Stefan was right, there was a smear of blood on her chin. Damon leaned over and licked it off and smiled at Stefan.

"There, all better," said Damon grabbing Tara's hand and walking into the house.

"Where are we going?" asked Tara as she followed Damon.

"Round two," smiled Damon as he slowly pushed her into his room.


End file.
